Accidents
by hunterofcomedy
Summary: In the midst of a tragic accident, a young man with orange hair meets a violet eyed young woman. Fate can be either a cruel monster or a remarkable attractor for many kinds of people. What we all must remember is: accidents happen. AU. IchiRuki.
1. Part 1

Accidents

Synopsis: AU. In the midst of a tragic accident, a young man with orange hair meets a violet eyed young woman. Fate can be either a cruel monster or a remarkable attractor for many kinds of people. What we all must remember is: accidents happen. IchiRuki.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Bleach characters in this story. The idea for this story belongs to a good friend of mine, who wishes to remain anonymous.

* * *

It was just another day…mostly.

"Why the hell do people always expect you to wear a tie?"

Ichigo Kurosaki had just left his family's home, a small clinic that was their livelihood, heading off to a job interview. He wore a pair of black dress pants and a white dress shirt, struggling to fix his tie. He had combed his bright orange hair but it was already beginning to take on its natural spiky form. And the deep scowl on his face surely wouldn't win over any potential employers.

Having recently graduated from Karakura University, the young man had absolutely no idea what he wanted to do with his life. His degree was merely an associate of science, a common and simple degree.

Although his family was crazy, particularly his lovingly abusive father, no one had pressured him into choosing his path. His father, Isshin, didn't expect his son to take over the family's clinic, wanting him to find a career that made him happy. His younger sisters, Yuzu and Karin, were just about to enter their last year of high school and were in no hurry for him to leave home again anytime soon. They encouraged him to take this time to find what he really wanted to do with the rest of his life.

The problem was, Ichigo never even gave it a thought. He never considered medicine, like his old man, and without a bachelor's degree, his opportunities were rather limited. He really wanted to do something important with his life, but there just wasn't anything he could imagine that would be of any use to anyone. The weight of having no real goal in life was beginning to come down on him.

And so, as he rounded the corner just past his family's house, he almost didn't notice the car that was swerving wildly down the street. However, he heard the loud screeching of tires and his head shot up to see a violet Toyota Corolla flip as it hit a fire hydrant. Metal crunched into the pavement and the car skidded upside down, barreling directly for him.

"Oh, shi—!"

On instinct, the orange haired man leapt aside as the violet vehicle slammed into the light pole that he had just been next to, ceasing its advance. As he rolled and flipped up onto his knees, Ichigo stared at the upturned vehicle. No flames had erupted from the car as of yet but he didn't want to take any chances.

Forgetting that the driver had almost killed him, the orange haired young man ran toward the upturned windshield and tried to look in.

"Hey! Are you alright in there?!" he shouted, trying to see through the heavily cracked glass, "If you can hear me, just…uh, shout or something!"

"S-Stop s-shouting!" a deep but feminine voice called back, "I-I can't…focus—".

Hearing the voice, Ichigo circled around the side of the car and sank to his knees next to the driver's door. The driver's window was shattered and inside the car was a young woman with raven hair. She was grabbing at her seatbelt and tugging, trying to force it loose.

Without thinking, Ichigo reached in and grabbed her arm. The raven haired woman jumped a bit as he grasped her but suddenly shrieked in pain. Her cry made Ichigo stop and really take a moment to examine her. She was upside down and trying to get free of the safety belt but something was odd.

Her white blouse was stained in a bright red and it was spreading out from her abdomen. Gasping in horror, Ichigo saw a long, jagged piece of metal piercing her body.

"Don't move! You're bleeding!" he shouted, finally getting her to look to him. Her violet eyes shimmered as she glared hard at him.

"I kn-know that! The d-damn belt is…p-pushing it in deeper!" she screamed at him, still trying to undo the belt.

Clenching his fists, Ichigo quickly looked in the back seat behind her. Nothing protruded out the back, which meant that the metal didn't penetrate all that far. Thinking quickly, he pulled out his pocket knife and slowly crawled toward her.

"Use this!" he shouted, extending the blade to her. For a moment she looked at him, completely puzzled. "Cut the belt and I'll help you get you!" he told to her, already working his way through the window to get closer to her.

The raven haired woman didn't need to know more than that, grabbing the small knife and flicking it open. She carefully began to slice into the material of the belt, the pain beginning to overwhelm her. Nevertheless, she managed to cut clean through the strap holding her.

However, the moment she did, her body fell toward the ground. She panicked for a moment, fearing the metal piece would be driven further into her. But that fear subsided when she felt two strong arms grab onto her. Her head shifted and she saw the orange haired young man carefully pulling her from the ruined vehicle.

Ichigo was almost shocked at how small this woman was. Her petite body was light and it was almost no trouble to slip in and wrap his arms around her. Taking extreme care not to touch the metal piece, he pulled her free from the wreckage. After he got her out into the sunlight, he finally got a good look at her abdomen wound.

A long piece of metal, possibly from the frame of the car, was deeply embedded just above her waist. The blood was dark, indicating that an artery was probably punctured. The crimson liquid ran slowly down her legs and dripped onto the concrete, leaving long red trails down her grey skirt.

Fortunately, Ichigo's father had taught him some first aid years ago and he immediately set the raven haired woman down to begin treatment. He set her against the nearby concrete wall that lined the street and ripped off parts of his shirt. He was sure that his sisters would forgive him for using his shirt they bought for his interview as bandages.

"This is gonna hurt but I need you to be tough for me," he explained to her as he moved to put pressure on her wound, tossing away his tie.

The woman huffed and replied, "I just survived…a car crash, how much…tougher…do I have to be?" She gave him a confident smirk, putting on the bravest face that she could. The mere idea that she was able to make a joke at time like this reassured him, even if he could tell she was hiding her fears.

"Alright, here we go!" he announced, pressing hard around the sides of the metal.

The raven haired woman gritted her teeth for a moment but quickly let out an agonizing scream. Doing his best to ignore her screams, Ichigo quickly ripped more "bandages" and did his best to wrap them around her wound. However, since he couldn't remove the metal embedded in her due to fear of blood loss, there wasn't much else he could do.

Moving his hands behind her and tying a firm knot, he managed to secure the bandages around the wound. After securing the bandages, Ichigo began looking her over for more injuries. He looked up and saw a few scratches on her face, pausing for a moment to watch her carefully.

The raven haired woman breathed heavily through grit teeth, her eyes closed as she endured the pain. A stray band of hair hung between her eyes and it caught Ichigo's attention for a moment. Shaking his head a bit, he glanced down at her lower body and shuddered.

Her stained skirt was torn and it left her battered legs in clear view. Her legs were covered in bruises and deep lacerations. Without a word, he ripped more of his shirt and began tying the long white strands around the largest of the cuts in her legs. The raven haired woman grunted a bit as he tied the bandages tight. At the very least, he legs didn't appear twisted but since there could be internal damage, he decided to take action.

Ichigo sighed and asked, "Uh, miss? Can you hear me?"

The raven haired woman snapped her eyes open and looked to him. "What?"

"Your legs are pretty beat up and I'm worried if they feel alright," he said plainly.

To his surprise, the woman scoffed a bit and closed her eyes again. "Shouldn't you be calling an ambulance instead of worrying about that?"

Ichigo's eyes widened, having completely forgotten about it. For a moment, he considered running back to his family's clinic to enlist his father's help, but he worried about what would happen to this injured woman while he was away. If he didn't hurry, she'd bleed to death. Instead, he did as she suggested, whipping out his cell phone, standing up and frantically speaking to the emergency personnel.

The raven haired woman watched him desperately gawking at the street signs as he gave directions, shouting for them to hurry. She turned her attention to her legs, thinking about her rescuer's suggestion. She tried to lift her legs but a sharp jolt of pain shot through her. She could see the blood covering her body and felt herself getting weaker. Concentrating on controlling her breathing, the raven haired woman laid her head against the wall behind her and closed her eyes, hoping the pain would pass soon.

"They're on their way!" her rescuer informed her, coming back to her side. "You just have to hold on for a little longer. Just a little longer."

Although she couldn't quite place why, she liked the sound of his voice. It was strong and confident, warm and soothing. Even with all her agony, his voice calmed her and let her rest easier. That is, until another shot of pain ripped through her abdomen.

The raven haired woman cried out and was incredibly surprised when she felt something warm encase her hand. She opened her eyes and looked over to see her rescuer gripping her hand tightly, staring down at her with strong, amber eyes.

"I know it hurts but you need to hang on, Miss!" the young man with orange hair said, "Talk to me, tell me if there's anything I can do to help!"

Giving a light chuckle, the raven haired woman slowly replied, "Rukia…"

"What's that?" Ichigo asked, almost not hearing her.

"It's not…Miss. It's…Rukia Kuchiki."

Ichigo gave her hand a slight squeeze and relied, "And my name is Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Well then, Ichigo, it's a pleasure to meet you." Rukia nodded lightly to him and gave a simple but gentle smile. "By the way, you were right."

"About what?" Ichigo asked, utterly confused.

"Something is definitely wrong with my legs," she replied and saw her rescuer's face twist in horror.

"What's wrong?! Can you move them at all or is there a lot of numbness?!"

"I can move them but every time I do, I feel a sharp pain," she answered, trying to move them again and feeling the sharp jolt once more. She winced but saw a look of relief wash over Ichigo's face.

"Is my pain amusing to you?" she said with a glare.

"Oh, no! That's not it!" he fervently defended, "It's actually that having the pain is good, in a way. It means that there isn't too much nerve damage and you should be able to walk again."

Rukia gave a quick huff but smiled. "So the pain is good? Tell that to my stomach," she said looking down at her wound, "Can't we pull this thing out? I don't know how much longer I can take it."

Her empty hand reached for it but Ichigo quickly caught it. "We can't remove it. If we do, you'll bleed our faster and we won't be able to stop it. I know it hurts but—".

"—I need to tough it out. I got, Doctor." She flashed him a cheeky grin and let her empty hand lay down by her side. "So, how do you know all of this, medical stuff?"

"Medical stuff? Most of what I've said is common knowledge," he said with amusement.

She frowned and replied, "I'm kinda bleeding out here. So I think you can forgive my lapse in medical knowhow for the time being."

Ichigo scratched the back of his head nervously. "My old man runs a clinic not far from here. He taught me quite a lot about medicine in his spare time. Figured I'd need it if anything happened."

"Was he the one who taught you to rescue unfortunate folks from car wreckage?" Rukia chided, chuckling a bit.

"No, I can proudly say that I'm solely responsible for my own actions." His answer made her turn away as her face twisted in self-disgust.

"I should have been more responsible," she said, her voice low. "If I hadn't swerved to miss that bunny, this wouldn't have happened."

"You swerved to miss…a bunny?"

Rukia turned back to see Ichigo staring at her with confusion. "What? Was I supposed to run over the poor creature?"

"Considering the outcome, probably."

"You know, if you're trying to comfort me, you're doing poorly."

"Never said I was. I'm just trying to keep you active. That way you won't lose too much energy and pass out."

Scoffing, Rukia gave him a look and replied, "Did you ever stop to consider that uselessly arguing with a car crash survivor might be even more exhausting than just agreeing with them?"

"Normally," Ichigo answered quickly before smirking, "But given that you nearly got yourself killed to save an animal that won't live half as long as you, I just couldn't help myself."

Rukia sighed deeply but smiled and said, "Great bedside manner, Doctor."

"Never said I was a doctor either," he reminded her, but she merely shrugged.

"More of a doctor than I am. And that's good enough for me."

For the first time since the incident, Ichigo let a smile break out on his lips. Seeing this, Rukia couldn't help but reciprocate it. She gave a light chuckle but suddenly began to cough. Her eyes squeezed shut and she gave a weak cry of pain.

"What's wrong?!" Ichigo asked frantically.

"Arrgh! I don't know…" she replied, her voice noticeably weaker than before.

Then, her vision began to swim and her eyes suddenly felt heavier. At the same time, Ichigo saw her face growing paler. Gritting his teeth, he pressed on the bandages around the metal, hoping to lessen the bleeding. The pressure felt like it was tearing her apart and Rukia let out a surprised cry of agony. Ichigo clenched his fists around the wound, angered by the fact that he was unintentionally causing her pain. However, if he didn't think of something fast, she might not survive long enough for the ambulance to reach her.

At that moment, his eyes flicked up to see Rukia with her jaw clenched, growing paler and paler, fighting desperately to keep conscious. His eyes widened in horror at the sight.

"Hey! You need to stay awake! If you fall asleep in this condition—".

"Ichigo, will you do me a favor?" Her voice cut him off and got his attention instantly. She was slowly fading but her voice remained story, and he knew he had to reciprocate the gesture.

"Sure. Anything!" he answered swiftly, still focusing on keeping the pressure on her wound.

"…Anything?"

"Whatever you want! Just stay awake!"

Abruptly, Ichigo felt her hand grasp his arm. His eyes drifted to her shimmering violets and he found himself lost. She had a melancholy smile on her face and it frightened him more than anything he'd ever seen before. Why the hell did she look so lost and...afraid?! Rukia tugged him closer to her, their faces inches apart.

"…Propose to me."

The breath caught in Ichigo's throat and he felt his face heat up. Her eyes were shining in the morning sun and they pierced right through him, into his very soul. For a few seconds he just stared at her and couldn't find words but suddenly, they came to him.

"W-Why would you—?"

Her sad smiled deepened and she replied, "No one ever proposed to me…I can't die without…someone proposing to me."

"You're not going to die!" Ichigo practically shouted at her, going back to putting pressure on her wound. "You're going to be fine! The ambulance will be here any—".

Rukia's hand suddenly tightened its grip on his arm, her nails digging into him. His face was drawn back to hers and he saw her glaring at him. Her eyes had narrowed but the look she gave him seemed to almost plead with him.

"We both know I'm running out of time...Besides, you said, 'Anything'...Don't you even have enough decency to do me this one favor?" Her eyes bore into his and she breathed heavily as she continued, "I don't want to waste…this last chance."

Her violet eyes struggled to stay open, desperate to hear his answer and see his response. Any moment now, she could fade away, and she didn't want to do it without experiencing the one thing she never received from anyone.

Ichigo took in a sharp inhale before turning away. He looked down at the metal in her abdomen, saw the blood slowly seeping out her body, and then looked back to her. She had a strong and proud look on her face but deep within her eyes, he could see she was terrified. At that time, something inside of him snapped and he couldn't stop himself.

Clenching his bloody fists, he got on one knee and looked her right in the eye. Their eyes connected and for the first time in his life, Ichigo felt a real and unbreakable connection with someone. With a warm and gentle smile he didn't know he was capable of forming, he felt a heat rise and he opened his mouth, words flowing out seamlessly from deep within him.

"Rukia Kuchiki…Will you marry me?"

Those words brought the most joyous and vibrant smile to Rukia's face. Tears appeared in the corner of her eyes as they slowly began to close. Her head began to lower but she kept her strong smile the entire time.

"Thank you…Ichigo."

Rukia's body slumped forward and Ichigo reached up and grabbed her, proper her back up. When he looked at her face, all he saw was her restless expression, her smile displaying a look of utter contentment. Gritting his teeth, tears spilled down his cheeks as he looked at her peaceful form. Rearing his head up toward the sky, he screamed at the top of his lungs.

In the distance, the sirens of the ambulances were heard getting ever closer.

* * *

**To Be Continued…**

**Hello again, my beautiful readers! No, this is not the end of the story and shame on you for thinking I would leave it all like this! I'm not the sadistic type...usually. **

**This is an idea I've had for over a year and it comes from a friend who allow me to use the idea. I cannot release his name, but he gave me express permission to use his idea as a basis for my story. He's a script-writer and we read his script in class a long time ago. I was the one to read the part of the man who proposed to the injured woman, and it instantly gave me this idea. **

**Another quick update about my other stories: **

**For the time being, I'm going to be working more on "Long Way Home" than "Chappy Rukia". I apologize to fans of Chappy but I need more time to craft the comedy. I can't just sit down and write comedy, I have to be in the right mood and mindset. Lately, I've been in a slump comedy wise and so I'm taking some time off from it to focus on "Long Way Home". **

**A wise fellow writer once told me that the reason for writer's block is because you have other ideas you want to write and need to get them out first. At the moment, I really **_**really**_** want to work more on "Long Way Home" and I've been struggling with that. I didn't think it was fair take time off from "Chappy Rukia" but as it stands now, I'm not writing anything with all these distractions. I am by no means abandoning "Chappy Rukia"! I love that story too much to ever do such a thing, but I need to reorganize my thoughts on it. **

**So, I decided to finish this short story that I began over a year ago to get some fresh ideas flowing again! I will update Part 2 later on today and Part 3 the next day. This is a rather short story but trying to do it as a one-shot killed the ambiance, so I decided to split it up. **

**Leave a review to tell me what you think of it and don't worry, I'm a sucker for happy endings! ;)**


	2. Part 2

Accidents

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Bleach characters in this story. The idea for this story belongs to a good friend of mine, who wishes to remain anonymous.

Author Note: I accidentally posted the wrong chapter last evening after doing a bit of editing after my initial posting. Sorry for the confusion.

* * *

They say accidents happen…but aren't some of them happy accidents?

"Are you the one who brought her in?"

Ichigo heard the doctor ask him as he slumped on the bench outside the emergency room. Lifting his head up sharply, the orange haired man replied, "Yeah…how is she?"

Dr. Ryuken Ishida pushed his glasses up with his finger and replied, "She stable, for the moment. She's lost a lot of blood but luckily her blood type is on file. We've already begun the transfusion but we have no real idea when she'll wake up…if she ever does."

This news hit Ichigo hard. He'd only known Rukia for a few hours but it felt like he was losing a dear friend.

The ambulances had arrived moments after Rukia lost consciousness. She was loaded onto a stretcher and Ichigo had been allowed to ride with them to the hospital. He had been in almost a panic, frantically following after her as they rushed her to the emergency room. Only after Ryuken had pushed him back and told him he would attend to her personally did Ichigo manage to calm down.

"I see. Thank you," Ichigo slowly replied, his voice hollow.

"The next few hours will be crucial," Ryuken further explained, "Just removing the metal was difficult but fortunately, it didn't penetrate any of her organs. At this point, blood transfusion is all we can for her. If her will to live is strong enough, she should pull through."

"She's strong. She'll pull through alright," Ichigo whispered to himself before looking up at the doctor, with a strong gaze. "Please…take great care of her," his voice was almost pleading.

Dr. Ryuken nodded and made his way back to the surgery doors. "You should get yourself cleaned up, perhaps a change of clothes as well," the doctor recommended, pointing out the orange haired man's bloodied hands and torn shirt.

"If it's alright…I'd like to wait and see if she wakes up."

Ryuken halted and turned his head back. Ichigo's eyes were hard and determined. The doctor could see that, even if he was refuse, the young man wouldn't leave without being tossed away by security.

"I suppose since we've been unable to contact her immediate family, that could be arranged. Wait here." Ryuken turned around and just before he passed through the ER doors, he turned back and asked, "But tell me, what is your relation to Miss Kuchiki?"

For a moment, Ichigo was completely silent. Suddenly, he gave an amused huff and looked up at the doctor with a smile.

"I'm her fiancé."

* * *

"All I ask is that you keep your voice down," Ryuken explained as he led Ichigo down a long hallway. "I won't be held responsible if you get yourself thrown out for any reason."

"Yeah, I'll remember that," Ichigo replied in a hushed tone.

It had been several hours since Ryuken had last spoken to him and the orange haired young man hadn't moved from his spot. He doubted that he'd be able to see Rukia at all but the doctor had been surprisingly accommodating. Claiming to be her fiancé had been a bit underhanded, considering he'd only met her earlier that day but that didn't make his proposal to her any less real. Either way Ichigo appreciated his good fortune.

As they reached the end of the hall, Ryuken grabbed the handled and pulled the door open.

Rounding the corner into the room, Ichigo's eyes softened. Rukia was sleeping soundly on the bed, her arms at her sides with an IV in one wrist. Her chest rose and fell gently as she breathed slowly. The stray band of her raven hair still hung between her eyes and it made Ichigo huff with a light smile.

As he slowly approached the bed, Ryuken called out to him, "If you notice any changes in her condition, I will be nearby."

Ichigo turned back and bowed as the doctor closed the door and left him alone with her. He took a nearby chair and set it next to her bed, seating himself beside her. He watched her carefully during her peaceful slumber. Her face had numerous bandages but she appeared so tranquil that it seemed to give him peace as well.

Her arm lay outside the bed sheets, the IV connected to it pumping more medicine into her body. Without really thinking, Ichigo reached out and laid his hand atop hers and grasped it gently.

"You better wake up soon," he whispered, "We've got a few things to discuss."

"Such as?" a deep and menacing voice sounded behind him.

Ichigo's head spun around to see a tall man with black hair and fierce eyes glaring down at him. The man was dressed in an expensive black business suit and had an aura of superiority about him. His demeanor made Ichigo despise the man before he uttered his next words.

"Who are you and what are you doing with my sister?"

"Sister?" the orange haired man said in shock, "You're Rukia's brother?"

A scoff sounded as the man in the suit glared at him, moving into the room and closing the door behind him.

"Yes, I am. My name is Byakuya Kuchiki. And now I will ask you again," he stood over Ichigo, his black eyes digging into his soul, "Who are you and what are you doing with my sister?"

Even though his voice was even and calm, the menacing aura this man radiated was nearly suffocating Ichigo. Not knowing exactly how to respond, the orange haired man sat there, perplexed for a moment before looking back to Rukia. Fortunately, she hadn't been awoken by their meeting and she continued to slumber peacefully.

"I…I was there when she crashed. I pulled her out of her car and called the ambulance," Ichigo explained, fighting off Byakuya's accusing glare.

Slowly, Byakuya eased away from him and appeared to calm himself. However, his hostility did not decrease in the slightest.

"I see. I suppose you came to the hospital with her as well. I can understand your concern but why is it that you're still here? After being told of her expected recovery, I imagined you would have left by now. It seems rather strange that you would stay and wait for her next of kin to arrive, considering you don't really this woman," Byakuya said, his tone indicating far more than simple accusation.

Ichigo clenched his jaw and fought back the urge to punch this bastard in the face. Not only had he been insulted, but the suited man's comment was even colder toward his sister! What kind of heartless monster called his hospitalized sister 'this woman'?!

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, Ichigo calmly scowled fiercely up at Byakuya and answered, "Well, since she didn't have anyone listed as an emergency contact in file, I asked the doctor if I could stay. And since she seemed to have no one else to rely on," he let a tiny smirk over his lips for a moment, "I figured having a friendly face to wake up to was better than no one."

Byakuya's eyes narrowed that the boy's subtle challenge. However, as his eyes drifted to his sister's side, he saw that Ichigo still had Rukia's hand tightly squeezed in his palm. Without a word, he laid a hand on the orange haired man's shoulder and gave a forceful tug. Caught unaware, Ichigo toppled forward, emptying his seat next to Rukia, his face slapping into the tiled floor.

Before he could stand, Byakuya's voice reached his ears, "Now that I have arrived, there is no need for you to stay. I suggest that you leave."

Not waiting for a response, the suited man sat next to his sister on the previously occupied stool, his hand gently laying over top his sisters. Behind him, Ichigo picked himself up off the floor and clenched both fists. His teeth were grit and he was ready to knock the bastard out when Byakuya turned to glare at him again. His eyes were deadly and cold, this menacing aura returning.

"I believe that I told you to go. Do not make me repeat myself, boy."

As Byakuya shifted to turn back to Rukia, he was startled when a pair of hands grabbed him by the collar, jerking him up and back around to meet Ichigo's infuriated gaze. For a moment, the suited man was genuinely surprised, it was as if this boy had absolutely no fear of him whatsoever.

His fists tightened around the suited man's collar and Ichigo shook him a bit before narrowing his eyes.

"Is that all you have to say to the guy who kept your sister from bleeding to death on the street?!" the orange haired man proclaimed, completely unfazed by the suited man's chilling glare.

With a smack, Byakuya used his hand to break the boy's hold and push him back. "Do you know who you're addressing, boy?" the suited man seethed, fixing his suit. "I am head of the Kuchiki Family and the owner of this hospital."

Ichigo tensed but said nothing. Byakuya could feel the tension from the young man and finished rearranging his tie. "I think it is time that you left. If you refuse to cooperate, then I will have you escorted out by—".

"I don't give a damn who you are."

The orange haired man's rang in Byakuya ears and if only for a moment, his eyes showed a hint of shock. However, he collected his wits instantaneously and focused his cold dark eyes at the boy. Ichigo took a defiant step forward and scowled fiercely in the suited man's face. There was no fear or hesitation in his eyes, only resolve.

"I risked my life to save her, pulled her from an overturned car and kept pressure on her wound, all while trying to get her to stay conscious and keep her active so she wouldn't fall into a coma!" Ichigo shouted at the suited man, "I deserve to be here when she wakes up and you can shove your pompous attitude right up your—".

"Would you two keep it down…" a weak but familiar voice asked loudly. The men's eyes widened and they immediately turned to see Rukia gently rubbing her eyes. "…My head is killing me and you're screaming isn't helping…"

Releasing her brother, Ichigo completely forgot the point he was trying to stress and leaned down toward her.

"Rukia! You're awake! That's amazing!" he nearly shouted at her, making her cringe at the sudden loud volume. Realizing his mistake, he lowered his voice and continued, "The doctor said it could have been weeks or even months before you woke up. But I figured you were too stubborn to stay down for long."

A pressure on his arms jerked him upward and Ichigo turned to see Byakuya gripping him harshly. "I don't appreciate you addressing my sister so informally. Never mind that fact that your outburst is obviously making her condition worse."

Ichigo tore his arm away and was about to retort when Rukia suddenly said, "Doctor? Condition? Where the hell am I?" She laid her head in her palm and grunted, "My head feels like its splitting open…"

Worry overtook Ichigo and he turned toward the door. "I'll go get Doctor Ishi—".

A loud buzzing cut him off and he looked back to see Byakuya had pressed the nurse call button on Rukia's bedside table. After a moment, the nurse appeared at the door and bowing as she recognized the suited man by Rukia's bed.

"Yes, Mr. Kuchiki. What can I do for you?"

Byakuya gestured to his sister and replied, "My sister is in pain. Please bring her something to ease her suffering. Now."

A light gasp escaped the timid nurse before she bowed and quickly sped off to fulfill his request. All the while, Ichigo glared back at the stoic man, who he could have sworn had a smug look in his eyes. But it was quickly forgotten when Rukia glanced up at her brother and said, "I'm fine, Brother. There was no need to bother her like that."

"This is her job, Rukia. And while I am paying for her employment, I shall have her fulfill her duties to you."

A heavy sigh escaped the bedridden woman and she slowly began to sit herself up. As she did, Rukia suddenly tensed and gripped her abdomen. Her jaw clenched and she began taking labored breaths through her teeth. Byakuya glared at the door, irrationally angered that the nurse had not returned yet.

However, a soft hand landed on his sister's back and he glanced down to see Ichigo already at her side.

"You need to take it easy," he said gently, never raising his voice. "Just lie back and rest for the time being."

Slowly, he leaned her back down into the bed, with her giving him a small appreciative nod. Although Byakuya was irritated by the lack respect this man was showing him and his sister, he knew that interfering at the moment could be devastating. Instead, he stood by his sister's side as the boy carefully tucked her in.

Her head weighed a ton as it rested on the pillow and Rukia's violet eyes stared up at the ceiling as she waited for the pain to pass. Almost without thinking, she grabbed onto something soft and gripped it tightly. She felt warm fingers encase the back of her hand and she managed to tilt her head up enough to see the orange haired man nervously returning her squeeze.

The sight somehow comforted her and she finally let herself lie back and close her eyes.

Ichigo watched silently as she slowly began to relax, her chest rising and falling in a soothing rhythm. Taking a moment to glare up at Byakuya, the orange haired man couldn't help the tiny grin that settled onto his lips. The suited man's black eyes narrowed dangerous and before he did something he would regret, the door opened and the nurse returned.

Sending her an icy glare, Byakuya said quietly, "Please be more efficient in the future. Now if you would kindly assist my sister."

The nurse tensed but quickly nodded before approaching with an IV bag in her hands. As she approached the bed, she motioned for Ichigo to move, which he reluctantly did. His hand regretfully slipped out of Rukia's and the movement startled her. Her eyes fluttered open in time to see the nurse connecting the bag of liquid medicine to the IV in her arm.

Almost a moment later, she signed in relief and let her violet irises rest once more.

After a few moments of the drugs flowing into her veins, Byakuya again took up the seat Ichigo was forced to vacate. Resting his hand gently on her head, she slowly opened her eyes and turned to him, offering a tiny smile.

"Are the drugs taking effect? Are you still in pain?" he said gently, far softer than Ichigo thought him capable of.

A pleasant sigh overtook Rukia before she replied, "I'm fine, Brother."

She could tell he wanted to reprimand her for being stubborn but he was being unusually kind and remained silent. Even if he would never show it, or even admit it, this event must have terrified him. It was rare for him to be out of his office, ever. And yet, here he was, personally attending to her in the hospital. Instead of trying to wrap her aching head around the matter, she simply allowed herself to enjoy his kindness.

Rukia took a few more deep breaths before continuing, "So…is anyone going to tell me what happened?"

Before Byakuya could even open his mouth, Ichigo appeared directly behind him, glancing over his shoulder down at her.

"You lost a lot of blood and they had to do a transfusion, so you'll be weak for a while. It was lucky that they were able to get the metal out before it caused any more hemorrhaging," he explained, reveling in the fact that she was looking up at him with her simmering violets.

Giving a smirk, she almost scoffed as she replied, "The doctor could have told me that. I mean, how did I get here? Why am I here in the first place? And for that matter, who are you?"

Amber eyes widened as her voice echoed in the room. The world seemed to stop for Ichigo in that moment, his brain refusing to accept the information that would tear his mind apart. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came forth. Rukia raised an eyebrow as he stood, paralyzed with shock. And then, he slowly began to back away from the bed.

"You…You mean you don't…remember what happened? Not at all?" Ichigo asked, almost pleading that he had misheard her.

Looking away from him, Rukia closed her eyes and tried to concentrate but winced in pain.

"All I remember is getting into my car and heading for work," she confessed, looking back to him. She focused on him for a moment before she gave him a quizzical glance. "Do I know you from somewhere? I feel like I should—".

"You don't know this man," Byakuya interrupted, glaring back at the boy before returning his gaze to his sister, "You were in a car accident. This man called the ambulance and rode to the hospital with you. I'm not surprised you don't recall such a trivial thing."

Ichigo's hand grabbed the suited man's shoulder and jerked him back around.

"Trivial?! Is that what you think this was?! I pulled Rukia from an overturned car and—!"

His arm was suddenly batted away and Byakuya's hand gripped the collar of his torn shirt. With surprising strength, the suited man lifted Ichigo slightly off the floor. Cold black eyes pierced through him, a clear and unfathomable rage within. The ruffled fabric choked him and the orange haired man was forced to listen.

"I will not have you shouting and disrupting my sister any longer. Can you not see that your outburst is hurting her?" Byakuya hissed, glancing toward his sister.

Even in the vice-like grip, Ichigo managed to turn back to Rukia. Her eyes had squeezed shut and she was obviously fighting back the pain that coursed through her. Had he really been shouting that loudly? Ichigo wanted to say something, apologize or try to explain himself, but he was unable to as Byakuya abruptly released him and he fell back onto the floor.

Glaring down at him, the suited man said, "As repayment for coming to my sister's aid, I will allow you to see yourself out instead of calling security. After all, you have no further need to say here now that my sister has awoken. Isn't that right?"

Ichigo got up onto his knees and was prepared to retort but he stopped himself. He knew that if he lost his temper, it would only make the situation more unbearable. And the last thing he wanted was to upset Rukia right after she'd woken up.

"Yeah…" he muttered reluctantly, his nails digging into his palms to keep calm.

With a scoff, Byakuya turned away from the boy on the floor and took his place by sister's side. Very slowly, Ichigo picked himself up off the floor. He stared at Rukia's pain stricken face and a wave of disgust rippled through him. Not wanting to be a further burden, he turned on a heel and began heading for the door.

Just as his palm twisted the metal knob, a voice stopped him.

"Wait," he froze as Rukia's voice reached him. He turned around and saw her with one eye open, looking directly at him. "Is it true that you were the one who found and rescued me?"

"…Yeah, it is," he answered slowly, still reeling from the shock of her memory loss.

Even through her pain, Rukia smiled at him and replied, "Thank you. I owe you one."

It wasn't much but her words did manage to ease him somewhat. However, that didn't take away the hollow feeling in his chest and he knew that there was no way to fill this void. Nodding slowly, he turned around and opened the door.

"Whatever…" he whispered, not sure if she would hear him.

He pushed his way out and bumped into Dr. Ryuken. However, he barely registered the encounter, moving past the man without a single word.

* * *

"What the hell am I going to do with myself?"

Ichigo lazily lounged on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. His arm was draped over his forehead and he had no desire to get up. It was already well passed 2PM and he was still in his boxers. After missing his interview on the day of Rukia's accident, he was told the position had been filled and that he would have to find employment elsewhere.

If he could find a job and get something accomplished, then maybe he'd forget how pathetic he felt about what had happened. Over a week had passed since that fateful day and life had only gotten more difficult. He'd done his best to move on and forget what happened but with no job or goal to focus on, he found himself in a rut.

And today, with nothing to occupy his mind, he found himself drifting back to the moment he'd proposed to that beautiful violet eyed woman.

And each time he did, he felt a mixture of embarrassment, anger, confusion and self-pity. And that didn't solve the issue. After all he'd done to save her, he should have been happy that she was alright. Which he was, but knowing that she had no idea who he was, how they'd met, or that he'd risked his life to protect her, it just felt like the universe was playing a sick joke on him.

And then there was the proposal.

"How lame am I?" he grumbled as he finally slipped out of bed and began to get dressed.

Some part of him had thought that perhaps he'd be able to spend time with her, after she recovered. Get to know her and really see if something could work out. Yeah, it was a stupid and foolish notion but at the time, he felt that a real connection had formed between them. A connection that was now broken by a concussion and memory loss.

Just as he finished pulling a shirt over his head, the door flew open and a middle-aged man drop kicked him in the face. The force of the kick sent him flying back and into his desk, shuffling all the blank application forms atop it.

"Gooood Afternoooon, Ichi—!"

His attacker didn't have the time to finish before he flung himself up and smashed his fist into his offender's nose. The middle-aged man fell over backward with his feet flung up over his head, his back meeting the floor with hard contact.

Ichigo stood over the man and shouted, "What the hell, old man?! You already attack me once this morning! Wasn't your last beating good enough for you?!"

Unsurprisingly, his father, Isshin, merely laughed heartily and kicked himself up from the floor. He placed his hands on his hips and replied, "I have to make sure you're always prepared! How else will my pathetic son get over his recent jobless depression—Guard's down!"

Isshin leapt into the air and extended his foot but caught nothing but air as he son sidestepped. The momentum of the kick rotated him and he twisted to try and recover. However, Ichigo rushed from the side and dropped his elbow into the falling man's stomach. The reckless father slammed into the floor again, but this time, Ichigo's foot came down hard on his face, pinning him down.

"I'll never understand what Mom saw in you, crazy goat faced old man!" Ichigo shouted, pressing harder on his old man's face. "And for your information, I was just about to fill out some applications when you barged in!"

Isshin's hands grabbed Ichigo's foot and abruptly ripped them to the side, allowing the old man to speak.

"That reminds me!" he shouted as he leapt up and from the floor and suck punched his son in the gut. Falling to his knees and gasping for air, the orange haired man could only listen as his father picked brushed himself off. "Since my disrespectful son is having a hard time getting work. I have a job offer for you."

Ichigo wanted to tell his father to get lost, but with his lungs feeling like they were collapsing, he only wheezed as his father continued.

"We've got a patient coming to stay with us for a while. They need physical rehabilitation and I figured that since you have all this free time, you can be the one to take care of them. The actual rehabilitation will be my job but they need someone to help them around the house and drive them to work, which is nearby. That's why they'll be staying with us."

Coughing and finally getting a breath, Ichigo glared up at his old man and said, "…Forget it…I don't need…your pity…"

"Please, Ichigo. Just do this for me."

The orange haired man's eyes widened as he heard his father's plea. He looked up to see his father staring down at him, worry plaguing his features. Even if he didn't show it very often, Isshin was deeply concerned about his son's current financial troubles. In addition, he knew that Ichigo was deeply depressed about something other than being jobless, even though his son had never mention why he never made it to that particular interview.

As far as his family knew, he'd been mugged on the way to the interview. That's why he came home late, with a tattered and bloody shirt. However, Ichigo suspected that his father didn't believe his story but left him alone about it. And now his old man was trying to get his son some work, even if it came out of his own pocket.

His old man was crazy, but her sure loved his son.

"…Fine."

Ichigo's answer was swift but it brought a gentle smile to his father's face. That is, until it warped into a mischievous grin as he kicked his beloved son in the face. Rearing upward before falling onto his back, Ichigo grunted as he held his nose tightly. Through his fingers, he scowled harshly at his father.

"What the hell?! I told you I'd do it, dammit!"

"I know, but you let your guard down again!" Isshin said as he turned and headed for the door, "Anyway, the patient should be here sometime this evening. I've got a medical meeting to go to so could you meet them when they arrive? Thanks!"

"Hey, wait a second!" Ichigo protested but he was too late. His father sped out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

Not ten minutes after his father left, the doorbell rang and Ichigo dashed out of his room. Yuzu and Karin weren't home so he knew that getting the door was his responsibility, not to mention that he was supposed to greet their new patient.

However, as he opened the door, a man in an expensive black business suit glared at him with dark eyes.

It was official, the universe hated him.

"What are _you _doing _here_, boy?" Byakuya Kuchiki demanded, his voice showcasing surprise and frustration. Scowling harder than he ever thought possible, Ichigo prepared the slam the door in his face.

"Isn't that incredibly rude, considering that _I'm _ the one who lives here?" he chided as he matched the man's glare. "Or are you here to tell me to keep quiet about your sister's accident? I never read about it in the paper. I'm guessing that was your doing?"

"What I do regarding my sister is of no concern of yours, boy. Now, fetch me Dr. Kurosaki. He's supposed to meet us here," Byakuya explained.

Ichigo peered behind him and saw a long black car parked in front of his house, the engine still running. He was confused for a moment but then remembered that his old man had mentioned some kind of meeting. And considering that the black suited bastard in front of him owned a hospital, he was probably here to pickup his old man for that meeting.

This brought a slight grin to Ichigo's face.

"My old man's out right now. Is there anything _I_ can help you with?" he said as politely as he could without laughing. He knew that he shouldn't enjoy disrupting someone's plans this much, but this bastard had it coming to him. However, he was rather surprised when a look of genuine shock overcame Byakuya.

"You are…Isshin Kurosaki's son?" the suited man asked carefully.

"Yeah," Ichigo replied with slight confusion. "I'm Ichigo Kurosaki."

He had expected Byakuya to make some kind of demeaning comment before excusing himself but oddly enough, he remained rooted in his spot. Not to mention, the suited man seemed a bit unnerved and kept sneaking glances back at the car. If he was late for the meeting, why didn't he just go?

Raising an eyebrow, the orange haired man continued, "Look, my old man should be at that meeting right about now. Shouldn't you be getting off to it?"

His words were completely lost on Byakuya, the suited man staring at the ground with a conflicted and frustrated glare.

"I did not expect this," he whispered to himself before returning his gaze to Ichigo. "I had expected to speak with Dr. Kurosaki in person before I left…but now it can't be helped. I have no more time to waste on the likes of you."

"Hey—!" Ichigo began but never finished.

Byakuya turned on a heel and walked quickly toward the car. However, just before he reached it, he stopped and glared back at Ichigo and clinic in general. With a defeated sigh, he motioned for the chauffer to exit the car. The servant quickly stepped out and popped the truck.

Ichigo watched quizzically as he pulled something out and took it around the other side of the car. Byakuya followed the servant around to the other side, his voice calling out.

"Are you sure? I have a team of highly trained professionals who could take care of this matter for you. There is no need to go to such extremes. Particularly with this new...development," the suited man said to someone as they exited the vehicle.

"It'll be fine. I'm sure that Dr. Kurosaki will be here soon. I can wait inside until then. Besides, you know that I need to be able to get to and from work without driving halfway across the city. This is a much better option," a very familiar voice replied.

Ichigo froze as he recognized those deep but feminine tones. "No…" he said in disbelief.

A moment later, the chauffer's head peeked over the top of the car and began moving around to the other side. Rounding the edge of the car, the chauffer pushed a wheelchair up toward the building, carrying none other than Rukia Kuchiki.

She was dressed in a simple yellow sundress and had numerous bandages coving her legs. However, she brandished a pleasant smirk as she looked over the clinic, her violet eyes shimmering in the evening light. As her wheelchair came to a halt in front of Ichigo, she looked up at him and smiled, obviously recognizing him.

"Looks like we meet again," she offered her hand to him, "Nice to officially meet you. I'm Rukia Kuchiki and I'm here for my physical rehabilitation."

* * *

**To Be Continued…**

**And part 2 is complete! The final part will be up sometime tomorrow. I hope that you're all enjoying the story! It's been something I've wanted to get out for too long and I'm happy that it's finally getting finished!**

**Leave a review to tell me what you think of it and keep on smiling my beautiful readers! :D**


	3. Part 3

Accidents

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Bleach characters in this story. The idea for this story belongs to a good friend of mine, who wishes to remain anonymous.

* * *

Accidents happen for a reason…or else we'd call them 'On-Purposes'

Three Months Have Passed…

Ichigo pulled a newly restored violet car into the parking lot of Shihoin Accountings. Pushing open the door and sliding out, the orange haired man was just about to head in when someone called out to him.

"Hello again, Ichigo. Here to pick her up?" a woman with long dark hair in a ponytail said to him from the doorway.

"Do you even have to ask, Yoruichi?" the orange haired man replied, walking up to the steps. "Is she on her way out or does she need some—?"

"I can handle myself just fine, Idiot!"

Although he tried to fight it, a slight smirk overtook his face as a familiar figure appeared at the door. Rukia Kuchiki slowly walked out of the door Yoruichi held for her. Dressed in a simple business suit, her violet eyes half closed as she stepped into the sunlight. She glanced down the steps at Ichigo. He took a single step toward her and she huffed.

"Where the hell were you?" she pointed at him, "Because _you _were late, Yoruichi had to wait longer to close up for the weekend. You should really be more concerned with other people's troubles."

The slight smile slipped into a scowl as Ichigo replied, "Hey, it's not like I have control of the traffic. And for you information, I'm right on time."

"I told you we were closing early today," Rukia retorted with a sigh, "Honestly. I even sent you a text about it, to remind you. And yet, you're still an hour late."

Raising an eyebrow, Ichigo pulled out his phone and checked it. "I don't have a text from you. Did you remember to actually send it?"

His lips upturned into a mischievous smirk and she glared at him for it. Pulling out her Chappy cased phone, the raven haired woman looked over her message and frowned. She then hit a few keys and slid the device back in her pocket.

A moment later, Ichigo's phone buzzed and a short message appeared:

_Shut up!_

The orange haired man chuckled and put his phone away. Looking up he saw Rukia slowly beginning to descend the stairs. He tensed and had to stop himself from going to her. It wasn't long ago that she was on crutches and had to have assistance to get up or down to the door. But now, she was easily handling each step, albeit carefully. Still it unnerved him to not be there in case she slipped.

His fears were confirmed when she suddenly miss-stepped and her hands flew to the railing. Amber eyes widened and he rushed toward her. However, she held up her hand, stopping him in his tracks.

"Stay back, Ichigo!" she insisted, carefully finding her footing, "I don't need you babying me. I can walk on my own."

Ichigo clenched his fists and his jaw tightened. "At least let me—".

Rukia's violet eyes shot up and glared fiercely at him. "If I can't handle this myself, then what was the point of going through the rehab?!" she proclaimed and forced herself up, "Now stand there and watch!"

Ichigo tensed and wanted to protest, but as she stared at him with her shimmering violets, he knew there was nothing he could do to change her mind. Instead, he backed away and reluctantly waited at the bottom of the steps.

Standing completely upright, Rukia took several deep breaths before letting go of the railing. With bated breath, Ichigo remained rooted to the ground as he watch her slowly and eloquently descend the last few steps. As her feet came together at the bottom of the stairs, an overjoyed smile overtook her face.

"Told you I could handle it!" she chided as her smile expanded into a grin. "You really need to listen to you betters."

At that, Ichigo scoffed and marched up to her. "I don't see how walking down a few steps make you my better."

"I'm just better than you at everything. Try not to feel bad," she chided, beginning to move past him.

"Remind me who has been getting up before dawn every morning to make you breakfast and drive you to work for the last few months?"

"And remind me who it is that pays for services rendered during the time of my recovery?"

"…I still deserve a little more appreciation for my hard work," Ichigo insisted, stepping in front of her and opening the car door.

"Alright then," she slid carefully into the passenger seat and grabbed the door handle, "Thanks for getting the door. Now – Home. Jeeves."

Rukia slammed the door shut before Ichigo could retort, leaving her the victor of their little spat, evident by the grin she gave him from behind the glass. From across the way, the sound of laughter reached his ears and the orange haired man turned to see Yoruichi chuckling at them.

"Hard to believe the two of you are so close," the dark haired woman said as she turned the locks and armed the security system on the doors.

"And what the hell does that mean?" Ichigo grumbled as he moved around in front of the car.

"I remember that only three months ago, every time you dropped her off or picked her up, you barely said a word," Yoruichi walked down the steps and gave him a cat-like smirk, "Now, the two of you can't even get from the door to the car without at least two arguments. Ah, to be young again…"

Ichigo could feel the heat rising in his cheeks but he quickly scowled hard, turned and headed toward the car before replying, "Whatever…"

Yoruichi frowned at his attitude. "What's with the doom and gloom all of a sudden? You need to lighten up, kid. I mean, it's not like this is the last time you'll be here to pick her up."

As his hand grasped the handle of the driver's seat, Ichigo snuck a quick glance at the dark haired woman and sighed, "Yeah…it is."

Yoruichi's eyes widened but she didn't have time to reply be he pulled the door open and slipped into the car. She stood there and watched as the violet vehicle roared to life, backed up, and drove off into the distance. Shaking her head, the dark haired woman gave a deep sigh.

"Then why the hell didn't he bring her flowers or something?"

* * *

"What's wrong, Ichigo?" Rukia's stubborn voice said to him after he pulled the car out of the lot.

"What? Nothing. I'm fine," he defended, keeping his eyes focused on the road. However, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her glare and narrow her eyes at him.

"Don't treat me like a fool. I can tell when something's bothering you."

"And how do you figure that?" he retorted.

"We've spent enough time together over the last few months for me to know when something's up. Now, are you gonna come clean or do I have to start asking questions?"

Ichigo involuntarily cringed. "Please don't start that again."

"Then I suggest you start talking," she folded her arms and waited patiently. Sneaking a quick glance at her, Ichigo sighed deeply.

He had come to realize that Rukia had an incredibly keen intellect and her questions often prodded answers to problems that you didn't even know you had. Once, she asked Karin about why she was upset after soccer practice and it soon escalated into the raven haired woman giving the sports loving girl advice on how to attract a guy that Karin wasn't even aware she'd been crushing on.

Not to mention she used the same technique to get his father to tell her how slim her chances for a full recovery really were, which had been very slim at the time. Isshin had kept the fact that her legs were healing slowly from her for over a month before she practically interrogated him into revealing that the damage was more extensive then they had realized.

But, just like Rukia, she never gave in. She worked harder, pushed herself longer, and eventually cut the time she'd lost in half. Her indomitable determination had been inspiring and she managed to exceed Isshin's expectations in only a few months. Ichigo had never seen anything like it.

And now, just like before, she was glaring at him with that same determination. Those violet irises bore into him, even as he looked away to concentrate on driving, and he knew he had no choice but to answer.

"Ahh…You see, I had an interview today—".

"—And what happened?"

Ichigo flinched a bit, the questions had already begun. "…Let's just say it didn't quite go as expected."

"You insulted the interviewer again, didn't you?" Rukia said with a groan.

"How do you know that?!" the orange haired man replied, quickly glancing to her before staring back at the road.

"Because it's you," she swiftly replied before setting into her seat. "What is this? The six or seventh job interview you've failed this month?"

"Fifth, actually. And what's it matter to you?" he retorted, looking over his shoulder to check for traffic.

"Well, I could…Ichigo, turn your blinker on."

A bit startled, the orange haired man looked to her and saw that she was watching him carefully. She was trying to hide it, but she was breathing a lot quicker than before. Her hand was desperately clutching the stationary handle on the door, her fingernails leaving an imprint. And her violet eyes were focused on his hand on the wheel.

"Oh, right." Ichigo answered quietly, hoping she would calm down a bit.

"Thanks…" she whispered, loosening her grip and falling silent.

He quickly did as he was told, flicking the light on before moving into the other lane. When they were safely in the next lane and the light clicked off, he noticed Rukia visible relax. He cursed himself for not remembering her condition.

Even since the accident, she'd had a very hard time riding in a car. The tiniest bit of uncertainty made her nervous and apprehensive. The first time he drove her to work, it took nearly twenty minutes just to get her in the car. She had made excuse after excuse, forgetting her make-up, her briefcase, her phone, etc.

But after she ran out of objects to leave behind, she reluctantly entered, as she called it, 'The Death Trap'.

Over time, it gradually got better, but each time he forgot a signal or had to slam on the breaks, Rukia practically had a heart attack. He wondered how she was going to survive without having him to drive her around after she was discharged. Then again, her brother would probably provide a chauffeur.

Ichigo was just glad that Byakuya had elected to stay away from the clinic as often as possible, only checking in on his sister when time permitted, which was only about once a month. Last time he'd visited, the two of them nearly gotten into a fist fight, mainly because Byakuya had told Ichigo that he wasn't good enough to be his sister's aid.

Luckily, Rukia intervened and managed to keep the suited man off his back for a little while. And once Rukia was discharged, he'd never have to deal with that bastard again. But at the same time, he'd never be able to assist a certain raven haired woman again either.

That though made him scowl deeper as they continued to drive in silence.

"You know you can talk to me." Rukia's voice startled him, making him turn to her.

"What?"

"I know that something else is bothering you. And I'm here if you want to talk about it," she offered, "And if you really need a job. I can always—".

"For the last time, Rukia. I'm not letting you use _your brother's_ connections to get me a job. I can take care of myself," he retorted, already tired of this argument.

Rukia huffed and replied, "Is that why you've been unemployed for the last few months? Because as far as I can tell, you need all the help you can get."

Running his hand through his hair, Ichigo sighed. "Look, if I can't get myself a job—".

"—Then there's no point in having it. I know, you've told me a dozen times," she interjected, "But you need to think of your future, Ichigo. I mean, after I get discharge tomorrow, you're officially out of a job. And you can't keep mooching off your father forever."

"Actually, I probably could, I just won't—"

A loud smack rang out as Rukia's hand came down on the dash in front of her, catching his attention. "That's not the point! You need to find something to do with yourself! A job or something. And if you can't get one by your own means, then perhaps you need a little—".

"I'm not taking a job from your brother, Rukia! So just drop it!"

"Don't be so stubborn!"

"You first!"

"I'm not stubborn! Just logical!"

"Is that why you swerved to miss a bunny?!"

A deafening silence fell over the two after he uttered those words. His amber eyes widened and he glanced over to see Rukia in a state of shock.

"What are you talking about, Ichigo? When did I swerve to miss a…bunny…?"

She slowly became quiet and she looked as if she was trying to remember something.

He cursed under his breath and wanted to hit himself. Three months and he had barely mentioned the accident to her at all. Sure, he wanted her to remember what had happened, to finally have it all out in the open. But he felt that telling her about the proposal would freak her out, even drive her away from him. And that was the last thing he wanted.

He wanted to make a good impression on her, show her that he was dependable and likeable. Prove that he was good enough for her. And maybe, she would feel the same. Despite all their fighting, he really did enjoy having her around. And, from what he could tell, she really enjoyed being around him as well. The last three months had been so fantastic, but now, this little slip up could cost him everything!

"It's…uh…was just something I thought up," he told her, hoping that she believed him. "Like the reason for your accident was that you swerved to miss one of those bunnies you're obsessed with. I probably made a joke like that once before, when you showed me your crappy drawings."

He gave a forced laugh, trying to diffuse the situation. However, Rukia looked up at him with a sad expression on her face and said, "It's not funny. And my drawings aren't crappy, Idiot."

And with that, she turned away and fell silent once again. Ichigo could tell she was mad. If she hadn't been, then they would be having an amusing argument right about now.

Now he felt even dumber than before. Worse than mentioning her lost memories was joking about the accident itself. Last time he brought it up, she didn't talk to him for three days. This was seriously not what he wanted to have happen on the night before she walked out of his life, possibly forever this time.

He wanted to apologize but he found himself pulling into the driveway of the clinic. The moment the car was parked and the engine was switched off, Rukia opened the door and cautiously stepped out. She didn't wait for him, entering the house before he even managed to unhinge his seat belt.

Lightly smacking his head against the steering wheel, he chanted, "Stupid, stupid, stupid, stupid…"

* * *

The moment Ichigo opened the door, he was greeted by a boot to the face.

"Welcooome Hoooome, Ichigoooo!" his father shouted as the boy fell over backward onto the floor. "How was your day? Why isn't my lovely third daughter with you?"

Ichigo grumbled at hearing his father's nickname for Rukia, it reminded him of their fight. Kicking himself up, the orange haired man rushed his father with blinding speed and delivered a powerful haymaker to his chin. The middle-aged man toppled over and slammed into the wooden floor of the entryway. Isshin was just about to get in a sneak attack on his son's nether region when he noticed that said son was missing.

"Not today, old man…"

Tilting his head back, the middle-aged man saw his son already far ahead of him, about to enter the living room. A look of concern spread of Isshin's face. However, with a quick huff, he replaced it with a joyous smile and flipped up, rushing after his son.

"You're absolutely right, my boy!" Isshin shouted, draping his arm over his son's shoulder. "For tonight, we celebrate my lovely third daughter's discharge from our care!"

Only now did Ichigo's expression change, to one of surprise. "What? How come you didn't mention this to me?"

"Because you're my third daughter's aid! You can't be trusted with such valuable secrets! You'd give away the surprise!" Isshin joyous explained, pushing off his son.

"He does kinda have a point," a new voice chimed in.

"We wanted this day to be extra special for Rukia!" a second voice added.

The orange haired man looked over to see his two younger sisters, Yuzu and Karin, wearing some of their nicest clothes. It was then that he noticed that, under his father's lab coat, was a nice black suit with a red tie. Ichigo couldn't remember the last time his family dressed up for anyone. They didn't even dress this nice when they went out for_ his birthday_!

Then again, he shouldn't be that surprised.

Everyone loved having Rukia as part of the family. The raven haired woman spent time cooking with Yuzu, watching sports or playing games with Karin, and when she wasn't working with Isshin on her rehabilitation, the two of them spent time chatting. Not to mention that Ichigo enjoyed spending time with her himself, even if it was technically his job.

"You need to go and get changed, Ichigo! We're taking Rukia out to dinner tonight and we all need to look nice," Yuzu informed him, her eyes beaming with excitement.

"Yeah, so hurry the hell up and get ready. I don't want to be stuck in these clothes any longer than I have too," Karin added, pulling at the collar of her dress shirt.

Ichigo finally managed a tiny smile. Rukia didn't know how much she was going to be missed.

Suddenly, two hands grabbed his shoulders from behind and ushered him toward the stairs. "Yes, my son! Hurry before Rukia finds out that—"

"Is something wrong?"

Everyone froze and turned to see Rukia entering the room from the hall.

She glanced over the Kurosaki family, noting their fancy appearance, and said, "Is someone important coming to dinner? Should I get changed too?

Silence invaded the space for a moment before Yuzu suddenly burst into tears, startling the raven haired woman.

"Oh, no! The surprise is ruined! Now Rukia will never come back to visit us! She'll forget we exist!" Yuzu wailed, furiously wiping her tear-stained eyes.

"There, there, dearest Yuzu! Daddy feels your pain! We'll find a way to get through this together!" Isshin consoled his daughter with a hug, tears spilling down his face as well.

Karin gave a deep sigh. "I can't believe I'm related to them."

As the father and daughter duo continued to sob endlessly, a look of pure guilt came over Rukia. "What…What did I do?" she asked Ichigo, who was currently face-palming.

"Trust me, you didn't do anything. They're just acting crazy again," he answered, not knowing how to resolve the situation. "They wanted to surprise you by taking you out to dinner, since it's your last night here."

He glanced over to Rukia and found that after hearing his explanation, she was taking this situation rather well. In only three months, she had grown rather accustomed to the Kurosaki Family and their insanity. Sure, she called the police a couple of times during the first few weeks, mainly the first time Isshin attacked his son and when Ichigo slammed his father into the wall the next day, but overall she was accustomed to the strange workings of these people.

In fact, she often cheered for Isshin when he attacked his son every morning, much to Ichigo's dismay.

Because of this fact, he wasn't surprised when Rukia walked up to the crying pair and said, "I actually am pretty surprised. I've never had anyone dress up for me before. Let alone want to surprise me. It was very thoughtful of you."

Isshin turned his attention to this third daughter and Yuzu finally lifted her head and whispered, "Really?"

Rukia gave her a warm smile and nodded, "Yes, it was very nice of you all. But—".

Yuzu and Isshin tensed while Ichigo and Karin shook their heads and sighed. Rukia suddenly seemed very nervous and she fiddled with her fingers a bit.

"I was…kinda hoping that we could eat in tonight?" she said carefully, watching for their reactions, which were delayed. "This is the last chance I'll get to have some of Yuzu's cooking. I was kind of looking forward to it…"

As she trailed off, two pairs of hands suddenly wrapped around her and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Oh course we can stay and have a final family meal! Anything for my beloved third daughter!" Isshin roared, his tears instantly gone. "You don't mind, do you my darling Yuzu?"

" Oh course not, Papa! I'll make Rukia the best meal she's ever had in her life!" the short girl shouted, holding fast to both of them.

In the midst of it all, Ichigo watched as Rukia's smile lit up and she began to laugh heartily as they promised to make her anything she wanted. All his previous worries seemed to melt away as he watched her follow his sister into the kitchen while Isshin began to set up their fanciest dinner ware.

"She sure is one of a kind, isn't she?" Karin interrupted her brother's thoughts, speaking as she stood next to him. "Never figured this would happen when the old man signed us up for this live-in patient thing."

"Yeah, it's been a long three months, hasn't it?" Ichigo replied, still feeling light as a feather.

Karin slowly turned and suddenly glared up at him, catching his attention. She stared at him for the longest time and for a while, he wasn't sure what she was after. And then, she sighed and narrowed her eyes at him.

"So then, why the hell haven't you asked her out yet?"

All the happy feelings drained out of him and his jaw dropped at his sister's forwardness. He opened his mouth to speak but it ended up closing again a moment later. After watching her brother's lovely fish imitation, Karin groaned and slowly began to walk toward the kitchen.

"If you don't even make a pass at her before the end of dinner, then I'm doing it for you, Ichigo."

And with that, she went to assist her sister with dinner, leaving a stunned and confused Ichigo alone in the living room.

* * *

The dinner table just became the most fearsome place in all of existence for Ichigo.

Deciding that she wanted to dress for the occasion, Rukia had departed for her room and came back in an eloquent red, strapless dress. Why she had brought such an expensive and beautiful garment with her while she stayed with them was completely lost on him right now. However, he couldn't deny how absolutely stunning she looked in it.

After learning of Rukia's decision to dress formally, Ichigo now felt compelled, by the stares of the rest of his family, to do the same. As such, when he returned to the living room, wearing an orange dress shirt and black pants. Unfortunately, he felt underdressed compared to the lovely violet-eyed woman.

Nevertheless, Ichigo sat himself down at his usual spot at the table, right next to Rukia, so that he could assist her if need be. In truth, it was more of a formality at this point. But after reaching for plates of food and helping clean up any messes she accidentally caused during her recover, it was second nature to take a seat beside her.

And for a time, everything seemed perfect.

Except that tonight, his sister Karin sat across from him and was eyeing him the entire time. Ichigo sent he a bit of a glare and she shrugged and backed off, at least for the moment. Yuzu promptly set the food out, a beef pot with dumpling and cucumbers on the side, which Rukia simply adored.

Isshin dinged a fancy glass and stood up over the table. "Family, we are here to celebrate my lovely third daughter's successful physical rehabilitation! Three cheers for Rukia!"

Rukia shied away a bit as everyone, including Ichigo, began to cheer for her but she seemed pretty happy anyway.

When they were finished, she smiled and said, "Thank you, everyone. It's been a long three months but—". She stood up from her seat and took a few steps, "—thanks to you all, I'm walking around and feeling great!"

Another cheer sounded and Rukia resumed her seat. Ichigo watched as she began to dish up her food, seeing how genuinely happy she was.

The way she smiled and happily ate and conversed during dinner, reminded Ichigo of far she had come.

It was a welcome change from when she arrived. Despite knowing that she was going to be living with these people, it had been really difficult for her at first. Being in a wheelchair for the first few weeks really bothered her, since everyone had to help her with getting in and out of the house or just in and out of bed.

Ichigo had taken the worst of it, giving her his cell number for her to call whenever she needed him. However, half the time she didn't both to use it and stubbornly tried to do everything herself, despite not being able to stand. It wasn't until Karin yelled at her for trying to reach a high cabinet that she finally bean to accept her situation.

Soon after, she began talking with the family, spending time with all of them. It was slow but now, after three long months, she finally began to understand what she meant to these people. Realizing that, before she even knew it, she had earned a place here. Rukia had once told Ichigo that she never really had a family, being adopted into her brother's family when she was young.

Although it was common for his family, just spending time eating and laughing with family was something she never expected to experience, least of all during rehab.

As Ichigo smiled at the thought, he noticed Karin glaring at him out the corner of his eye. She tilted her head toward Rukia, as if daring him to ask her out. However, he proceeded to ignore his sister and instead focused on simply eating and enjoying the company.

Karin narrowed her eyes before abruptly smirked devilishly. She looked over and saw that Rukia was currently engaging with Yuzu, meaning she'd need to bide her time.

"How was work today, Rukia?" Yuzu asked as she filled her own plate.

"Nothing special. Still trying to catch up with all the time I missed," the raven haired woman answered, popping a dumping into her mouth.

Isshin swallowed a mouthful and nodded, "Right, you had to miss over a month because of the intense rehabilitation. But you're still not caught up?"

"No, I wish I was but I'm still a ways off. Yoruichi has been really kind about all of it, giving me plenty of time to catch up."

"Sounds like it could take you a while," Karin interjected, "Are you sure you're ready to be driving yourself to and from work?"

"Karin!" her sister scolded, "That's rude! You shouldn't be so mean!"

"I'm not offended," Rukia spoke up, trying to diffuse the issue. "I'm actually a bit worried about that myself. I've spent a lot of time having Ichigo drive me around, it'll be weird to have to do it myself again."

Karin let a smirk overtake her and she said, "Well, you could always have my bro—ow!"

She suddenly grunted as she felt something hard smack her leg. Lifting her head, she found Ichigo scowling fiercely and glaring. He suddenly assumed an air of confusion and as he said, "Oh, sorry about that. Didn't realize that was you, Karin. Are you alright?"

The black haired girl gripped her chopstick tightly, thinking of using them as a projectile. However, she noticed that the entire family was staring at he, so instead she gave a nervous laugh and replied, "It takes more than that to keep me down."

She snuck a quick glare at Ichigo, her message abundantly clear. However, the orange haired man looked away and went back to his food, but not before saying, "We should all be more careful."

Karin was about to snap at him when Rukia suddenly asked, "So, Karin. How's things with that boy from soccer practice?"

All eyes suddenly focused on the black haired girl and she felt heat rise in her cheeks. "Things? Things are fine! What the hell would I want to think about Jinta for anyway?"

She furiously dug into her meal but heard Rukia reply, "Just give him some time. Not all people catch on to other's affections."

Ichigo chuckled silently, enjoying the tables turned on his meddling sister. Karin gripped her chopsticks so hard the wood nearly cracked. However, her eyes suddenly widened and her devilish smirk made a comeback.

"Thanks for the advice. I appreciate it," she began slowly, drawing a bit of attention from Ichigo. "So what about your love-life, Rukia? Anyone special you've set your eyes on? Maybe at work or something?"

Rukia's eyes bulged and she gasped, choking on her cucumber. She pounded her fist on her chest for a second and eventually, she was able to swallow and breathe again.

"W-What brought this on?" the startled Rukia questioned, taking deep breaths.

"Yeah, Karin! _What brought this on_?!" Ichigo immediately repeated, doing his best to hide his anger. He glared at her fiercely as he felt his heart beginning to race.

However, Karin nonchalantly shrugged her shoulders and continued fiddling with her food. "I just figured that since Rukia has so much experience with love, she might already have someone special in her life, that's all."

Ichigo didn't miss the smirk his sister was secretly giving him. However, before he could say how rude she was being, Yuzu practically shouted, "Is it true, Rukia?! Do you have a secret love you're hiding from us?!"

Amber eyes shot to his other sister, disbelief clouding his features. He glared at Karin but she only chuckled at him. At that moment, Ichigo could have sworn that his sister's had planned this. Panic began to spread through him, wondering what was going to happen next.

However, he looked to Rukia and saw that she was perfectly calm about the situation. That's when he remembered, he had been spending so much time with her lately, there was no way that Rukia could keep that kind of secret from him. He hadn't seen or heard of anyone she'd been dating or even talking too. Hell, everyone she worked with in the office was female!

There was no chance in hell that—

"Well, actually. I'm engaged."

As soon as those words escaped Rukia's lips, Ichigo's world came crashing down.

* * *

**To Be Concluded…**

**Yes, I know I said three parts, but every so often I do cave to the pressure of my readers. But don't think I'm a pushover or anything! I just decided to extend it into one more chapter. This one lasted longer than I anticipated, plus I had new idea for the finale. **

**Also, yeah, I did a time skip. It was planned from the start actually. Going through all of the recovery would have been kinda boring, and worse yet, time consuming. I felt it would be a huge filler chapter so I decided to skip it. Sorry if it bothered anyone but I think it works better this way. **

**So, yeah, the next chapter will be the final one. I will have it in a few days. I've got a lot of work at my job coming up but I'll be sure to get the final chapter to you all as soon as I can. **

**Leave a review to tell me how crushed this ending has left you, or if you have advice or ideas in general. Thanks and keep on smiling my beautiful readers!**


	4. Final Part

Accidents

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Bleach characters in this story. The idea for this story belongs to a good friend of mine, who wishes to remain anonymous.

* * *

Was this really all…an accident?

"You're what now?!"

The entire room shook as Karin bolted from her seat and shouted at Rukia. Everyone froze, staring at the raven haired woman with shock and disbelief. One by one, Rukia looked around at all of them with a nervous glance.

"Is it really that hard to believe?" she answered, almost regretting answering the question.

"W-Well, not exactly…" Yuzu softly replied, staring down at her food. "I just thought that since no one's been to visit, besides your brother, there wouldn't be anyone special for you."

A heavy silence fell over the table as the information was fully absorbed by all.

For a brief second, Yuzu's eyes looked to her shell-shocked brother.

Even though she had not been privy to her sister's plan, she too had noticed Ichigo's affection for the raven haired patient. It wasn't everyday that her brother went above and beyond for a complete stranger, one that he was almost forced to accompany everywhere and take care of. Not only that, she knew how much Rukia appreciated his help.

Knowing that only made the reality of the situation more unbearable.

Karin noticed her sister's depressed expression and wanted to kick herself. It wasn't supposed to go like this. She, like everyone else in the Kurosaki Family, thought that Rukia would soon become part of the family, officially. Through Ichigo, of course. But there was no hope of that now.

Some sister she was. Not only had she ruined any chance for her brother to share his feelings, she'd inadvertently broken his heart.

Ichigo was far too distraught by this news to register anything for a few moments. He stared at the food in front of him, the scowl on his face slowly becoming deeper and harder. He wanted to scream, to demand answers, but a voice in his mind told him it wasn't right. This event showed him that, no matter how much time he'd spent with Rukia, he didn't know her half as much as he thought.

He clenched his fists around his chopsticks and bowl, slowly turned to look at her.

A heavy frown had settled on Rukia's face. Then, she glanced toward him. However, Ichigo quickly averted his gaze, unable to meet her violet irises. Fear gripped his soul, knowing that if she saw his eyes right now, he wouldn't be able to hide his despair.

Instead, he quickly began shoveling his dinner into his mouth, forcing his body to forget the pain of heartache.

Suddenly, a sorrowful wail disrupted the silence.

"How can this be?! My wonderful third daughter has a love in her life and she neglected to tell her dear Papa! Oh, Masaki! Why do my children hate me so?!" Isshin shrieked, flying from his chair toward the wall, grasping the life-size picture of his wife that the family had grown accustomed to long ago.

Normally, this would be the time when Ichigo or Karin would rise and disable their father through physical violence. But at the moment, no one had enough energy to stop him. It was almost as if he wasn't there.

"But Yuzu brings up a good point," Karin abruptly pointed out, her eyes fixed on Rukia, "If you truly are, _engaged_, why has this person never bothered to come and see you? And why didn't you mention him 'til now?"

The question collected the attention of everyone, even the wall hugging Isshin. Particularly, Ichigo snuck a glance at Rukia to see her sighing and putting down her chopsticks. She took a deep breath and smiled sadly at them.

"My fiancé is a very busy man. He works almost all day, every day. Still, we've has found time to talk over the phone each night before I go to sleep." Without warning, her smile began to grow warmer. "We got engaged around the time of my accident but we hardly knew each other. Our engagement isn't public because it would draw unwanted attention and that would upset my brother's business. You're actually the first people I've told about it since it happened."

"Well, I can understand your brother's want to keep you out of the spot light, considering that your accident wasn't made public either. He does have the authority and the right connections after all," Isshin concurred, miraculously reappearing at the table, a somber expression on his face.

"Oh, I see. I guess that…makes sense," a disappointed but understanding Karin answered slowly going back to her food.

Yuzu looked around the table and frowned. Her brother, sister and father were all avoiding the most important questions, picking at their food while trying to muster the courage. Her eyes hardening, the brown haired twin stared right at Rukia and asked, "Was this an arranged marriage?"

A spark of interest spread around the table, Ichigo being the first to look to her with hope. He had not considered that option, and it was his only ray of light at this point. As if he was broadcasting his thoughts, all of the Kurosaki Family waited with bated breath, staring intently at their guest.

Rukia visibly tensed at the sudden attention and her warm smile slightly faded. "…No. My brother had nothing to do with this. I chose to spend my life with this man, much to my brother's dismay."

Yuzu's gaze softened and she leaned back in her seat, not knowing what else to say. Karin remained silent as well, fearing that any more 'helpful' advice might tear her family apart. And Isshin simply closed his eyes and nodded, opting not to make a scene for once.

"So, this guy…Does he make you happy?"

Everyone in the room nearly gasped as Ichigo utter his first words since hearing of the engagement. Rukia slowly turned her head to him and was confronted by his gaze. Amber orbs met with simmering violets, locked in a deep bond. They focused solely on each other, unwilling to turn away.

For the two of them, it was as if the rest of the family had suddenly vanished. It seemed like an eternity was passing them, as they sat in silence.

Then, very slowly, the corners of Rukia's lips turned up in a gentle, yet sorrowful smile.

"He's my best friend. And the person I trust more than anyone else in the world. So, yes, he does make me very happy."

Her words were soft and filled with joy, passing through her lips with no hesitation or regret. The care and affection she had for her mystery fiancé was more powerful than anything Ichigo had ever seen in his entire life. Not even his father's obsessive but compassionate love for his mother compared to Rukia's devotion.

Taking in all of her feelings, Ichigo felt something inside of him twist. However, unlike before, he wasn't saddened by this news. Seeing and knowing how happy this person made her, unraveled all his negative feelings. No matter how much it hurt, how much it tore him apart, Ichigo knew that he had no right to interfere with her choice.

Even so, it didn't stop all the emotions that coursed through the orange haired man.

"Good, he'd better! And if he ever does anything to hurt you," Ichigo pointed at himself with his thumb, "I'll have a word with him and straighten him out for you! Remember, I'm always here to help!"

Rukia's eyes widened and her mouth hung open in shock, because for the first time since she'd arrived at the clinic, Ichigo was actually smiling at her. A warm and vibrant smile, one that she had hardly believed him capable of showing.

And she wasn't the only one to be surprised. Yuzu and Karin stared at him as if he was an imposter; someone who they used to think was their brother. For as long as they could remember, Ichigo has always had a scowl on his face, even when he was actually happy. Seeing an open display of warmth from him was almost terrifying.

Isshin looked at his son and he couldn't stop his eyes drifting back to the post of Masaki. Not since his beloved wife's untimely passing had this boy been able to crack a smile. Discretely wiping away tears, the strange father glanced to his third daughter, to gauge her reaction. And he didn't have to wait long.

Before anyone realized it, the rave haired woman suddenly burst into laughter. She roared so loud that for a moment, Isshin was worried about the neighbors complaining. As her amused voice echoed and refused to diminish, Ichigo's smile abruptly faded and his fearsome scowl overtook his features.

"Hey! What's so damn funny?! I was being serious!"

Rukia tried to gather breath to reply but ended up choking on it and erupting into another fit of laughter. Ichigo's teeth felt like they might crack from the pressure as he clenched his jaw. He finally had the guts to make his feelings known and all she did was _laugh at him_!

"Fine! Whatever!" he shouted, pushing his chair back and bolting up.

He didn't even get a step in before a hand grabbed his arm and jerked him back. Taken by surprise, he barely noticed that he had been forced back into his seat and was facing Rukia. Glancing down, he saw her powerful fist gripping his forearm and almost doubled over. How in the world was someone as petite as her able to pull him back with only one arm?

Only when her delicate appendage left him did he finally look over to see still her chuckling at him, riding out the last of her fit. A joyous light shined in her violet irises as she retracted her hand and leaned against her chair.

"Sorry about that, really. I know you meant every word. It's just—", she stifled another laugh, "The image of you 'having a word' with my fiancé was just too much!" She huffed in laughter, barely containing herself.

However, Ichigo was less than amused and scoffed, "Don't laugh at me like that! Do you really think that I couldn't straighten this guy out if I had to? I'm tougher than you might think!"

"Oh, trust me. This is one fight you'd definitely lose—", she held in her outburst, barely, "—but then again, knowing _him_, so would he!"

Unable to contain herself any longer, the raven haired woman burst into another laughing fit, pounding her fist on the table from overexcitement. Frustrated and confused, Ichigo was on the verge of screaming at her when she suddenly patted him on the shoulder.

Tilting her head up at him, she smiled and continued, "But I'd expect nothing less from you, Ichigo. And I really appreciate what you said. Thank you."

Not expecting the sudden praise, the orange haired man felt a rush of heat in his ears and he abruptly turned to glare at his innocent bowl of rice.

"Yeah, well…you _better_ appreciate it," he said with a gruff tone.

He didn't notice that Rukia was still smiling at him, effortlessly seeing through his ruse. But at the same time, he was sure she understood anyway. That's just who she was and what made her so special.

Across from them, Karin slowly began to relax into her chair. Although she still felt a bit guilty over causing this, at this moment, she didn't regret it. Even if it hadn't gone the way she'd wanted, at least everything was out in the open. As she glanced to her brother, still shying away from Rukia's laughs, she felt content.

A sly grin slipped onto her lips. Perhaps she wouldn't make any more demands of her brother, at least for this evening.

Suddenly, Rukia's head snapped toward Yuzu and Karin, both of them taken aback for a moment. That is, until a cheeky grin from Rukia flooded their vision.

"Come on, you two! What's with the sour faces?" she asked, making the twins tense for fear of her fabled questioning skills. However, what followed surprised them. "This is my last night here! Let's all just relax and enjoy ourselves!"

Almost instantly, Yuzu's overjoyed smile expanded and she firmly replied, "Right! We'll make this the most unforgettable night of your life! Right, Karin?"

"Sure, why not?" the black haired twin replied, hiding her smile as best she could.

"It's settled then!" Isshin suddenly shouted and leapt up onto his chair, placing his foot atop the table. "Let's finish dinner and move on to the next event! For tonight, we play; Pictionary – The Adult Version!"

Quicker than he realized, the old man flew back into the wall, leaving an indent right next to his wife's poster. Standing where he'd been a moment ago, Ichigo and Karin held clenched fists and where only held back by Yuzu and Rukia, who had almost tackled them. From the floor, Isshin began to laugh heartily, either from a concussion or happiness, no one really cared.

As the evening rolled on, it became the best night any of them had spent for many years.

* * *

The festivities lasted most of the night and it was late by the time that everyone decided to turn in. Hours of board games, trivia and loud music took it out of Ichigo and he slumped up the stairs toward his room, a strange feeling of contentment sustaining him.

Oh, how he wished this night would last forever, because it almost did!

For once, he was able to forget his current hardships, let go of his inhibitions, and finally have some real fun with his family and Rukia. He pushed away all thoughts of the future and his unemployment, disregarded how depressing it was that this was the final evening he may ever have with Rukia, and for the first time since the accident, he didn't feel weighed down the proposal he'd made.

Pushing the door open and plopping down on his bed, he didn't bother to cover himself, simply letting his body's exhaustion take over. Ichigo had never realized it until tonight but the things that motivated him so much, also weighed him down.

His want to find a high paying job to support himself was more than a daunting task, considering his ineptitude during interviews. His desire to assist Rukia in any way possible, while a wonderful notion, had run him ragged more times than he could count. And finally, the proposal that always loomed in his mind whenever she was around, tormented him as he did his best to deal with his own feelings.

"Strange how, when I just forget about the whole thing, I feel more comfortable around her," Ichigo mused as he began to drift off to sleep. "Huh, which I'd have figured this out…sooner…"

His head gently laid down on the pillow, his face smooshing into the fluffy accessory. Just then, an abrupt dinging echoed from his pocket. Although he was more than tempted to calmly throw his expensive cell phone against the wall and ignore the frustrating noise, he instantly recognized the ring tone: The Chappy Theme Song.

Pushing himself up and rolling his feet over the edge of the bed, he came to a sitting position and dug out his phone.

"What do you need, boss?" he quipped into the receiver, his tiredness shining through.

"_Sorry to bother you and I know it's late but, I could really use some help with something right now. It won't take long._"

Ichigo smirked despite his annoyance. "I expect hazard pay for this," he grumbled.

"_That only counts if you actually do the work properly. So, are you coming or not?_"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on my way."

Ichigo stood and slipped his phone back in its home. He quietly exited his room and moved down the hall to the stairs. His old man and sisters were probably just getting to sleep and he didn't want to disturb them, or have his old man make a fuss this late at night.

Descending the stairway slowly, the orange haired man couldn't help but recall the very first time he'd come to Rukia's aid in this house.

* * *

_Three Month Prior…_

_A frustrated Ichigo lay on his bed, glaring up at the ceiling. It had only been two days since Rukia had come to live with him and his family, and already he was going crazy. _

_He was more than happy to see her again and being giving the chance to really get to know her was almost a miracle. But if he had known she was going to act so rash and foolish, he might have reconsidered!_

_Even though she was confined to the wheelchair, Rukia insisted that she could take care of herself. She pushed on the wheels of her chair to move herself, even when it was clear that she needed rest to help recover. She fell out of her chair five times earlier that day, each time trying to reach for something she wanted. And then she crossed the line when, the moment he let her out of his sight, she abandoned her chair completely. _

_Ichigo heard shouting and rushed to the kitchen to find his little sister, Karin, holding Rukia by the collar and shouting in her face. The wheelchair was turned over and abandoned nearly ten feet away from them. _

_His blood boiled and he was about to scream at Karin to let her go, when his sister began shouting about how Rukia had been climbing the up the counter with her arms alone. As the accusation reverberated off the walls, the raven haired woman frowned and turned her head away. _

_When pressed about the issue by both Ichigo and Karin, the raven haired woman glared at them and told them that it was unfair of everyone to have to look after her. She said that she felt that, if she could do something by herself, it was better to do it rather than bother anyone. _

_Just as she was insisting that she wasn't a helpless invalid, her vision suddenly blurred and she found her face twisted away from them, her cheek reddening. _

_In shock, Rukia slowly turned back to see Karin angrily retracting her hand before shouting how stubborn the raven haired patient was. She began to shake the shell-shocked Rukia and told her that the next time she pulled a stunt like that, she'd tie her down the damn wheelchair and force her to ask for help. _

_However, this only infuriated the injured Rukia and she retorted that she was capable of handling herself. _

_It was then that Ichigo had intervened, tearing the two of them apart and getting Rukia back to her chair. The moment she was back in the horrid seat, the raven haired woman pushed him away and began rolling herself toward her room, where she remained for the remainder of the evening. Not even Yuzu's promise of dumplings and cucumbers was able to coax her out. _

_And so now, at nearly 3AM, Ichigo was rolling around, unable to get himself to sleep. _

_Just as he felt he was about to doze off, there was a sharp buzzing from his phone. His exhaustion was peaking and he grit his teeth as he threw himself off the bed and angrily stomped over to his desk. Snatching his phone, he looked at the caller and saw that it was Rukia. _

"What?!_" he practically shouted as he took the call. _

_For a moment, there was silence, until a weaken voice replied, "I-I'm sorry…to b-bother…you…" she said slowly, as if unable to breath, "But…I think—arrgh!" _

_The second her cry of pain reached him, all anger and tiredness evaporated. Before he could ask what happened, the line when dead. Ichigo's eyes widened and he tore from his room, charging down the stairs and toward their guest room in the clinic in the rear of the house. He practically knocked the door of its hinges as he forced his way into her room. _

_There, on the floor at the foot of the bed, Rukia lay on her back, clutching her abdomen tightly. Her phone was still grasped tightly in her hand and she was writhing in agony. _

"_Rukia!" _

_Ichigo rushed to her side and immediately elevated her head, getting a good look at her face. She was pale and her breathing was erratic. He scowled deeply and quickly lifted her up to her bed, setting her down carefully. The movement made her grunt and tighten the grip on her abdomen. Red stained her fingertips._

_Without hesitation, the orange haired man pulled up her shirt and gasped at her wound. The stitches that held her together had been strained, pulled and had even torn parts of her skin. Blood seeped out but fortunately it was bright red, meaning that the wound wasn't deep. _

_Quickly grabbing a towel from the bedside table, his hands reached down to clean up the blood but as he did, Rukia's hands furiously slapped his hands away. _

"_D-Don't!" Rukia groaned, fighting the pain. "I need…my medicine!" _

_Ichigo's eyes widened as he thought back to the incident earlier that day. Rukia's pain medication was kept on a shelf in the kitchen. It was a precaution so that she wouldn't take too much of the highly potent drug. Was that the reason she'd climbed up the counter? Had she been in this much pain all this time but was simply too stubborn to admit it?_

_Why the hell didn't she just ask for help?!_

_Ichigo wanted to scream at her but her face was warped in torment and worse, he could tell she was nearly panicking. As she swatted at him again, he grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. Gritting her teeth and forcing her eyes open, she glared at him. However, to her shock, she found a melancholy smile on his lips and a soft gaze radiating from his amber eyes. _

"_Just hold on. I'll be right back. Trust me."_

_Rukia stared up at him, her breathing slowly beginning to slow, his voice somehow soothing her. Squeezing her eyes shut, she nodded firmly to him. He squeezed her hand tight for a moment before dashing off toward the kitchen. When he returned with the bottle of pills, he found his father already with Rukia, giving her a thorough examination. _

_Isshin told his son to give Rukia the medication while he cleaned the bleeding wound. Elevating her head, Ichigo helped her swallow the pill before laying her back down. As her wound was being cleansed, her hand flung out and gripped Ichigo's palm. Without hesitation, the orange haired man knelt beside her bed and held her hand until Isshin finished. And when that was done, Ichigo stayed with her until the pain passed and she fell into uneasy sleep. _

_The next day, Rukia made a full apology to the entire family, telling them she would be relying on them from now on. And for the first time since her arrival, she smiled brightly at them._

* * *

"I really was hopeless back then," Rukia chuckled as she and Ichigo sat and folded clothes in her room. "I couldn't even ask for someone to get my medicine before the pain was ripping my insides apart."

Ichigo huffed in amusement and continued to fold and pack away her clothes. Turns out the reason she called him was to help her pack. Her brother would be coming tomorrow morning to get her and it would be better to be ready. Although he should have been upset, knowing that this was his last chance to spend personal time with Rukia, the orange haired man simply expressed mock annoyance as he went to work.

"Yeah, well, you did learn your lesson. After all, you've kinda been calling me at all hours of the night ever since," he retorted, sealing a bag full of items and setting it aside.

"You're never gonna forgive me for that, are you?" Rukia groaned, folding up the last of her outfits and compacting them into a duffle bag.

"What makes you say that?" Ichigo said, an eyebrow raised.

"Maybe it's the fact that you brought up the most embarrassing moment of my life and continue to hold it over my head. _As if to taunt me_." She smirked as he averted his gaze and laughed nervously, which only made her grin widen. "I mean, come on. It's my last night here and all you can think to talk about is how pathetic I was after the accident? Don't you have anything more interesting to tell me?"

Ichigo abruptly froze, memories of the proposal flooding his mind.

"Sorry," he said with a forced smile, "I guess I'm just not suitable entertainment without having some dirt on you to bring up."

With a heavy sigh, Rukia stood up and stretched. "Damn, that took a while. But it's all finished." She turned back to him and smiled, "Thanks for what little bit you did."

"Hey, I helped!" Ichigo gestured to the one bag of clothes he'd managed to fold, "It's not my fault that I have no idea how to fold women's clothes. And it would have gone much smoother if you hadn't kept stopping to make me fold them right. Besides, I figured you wanted help with your other stuff."

He glanced around the room and took note that most of her belongings were still out: photographs of her and her brother, her stuffed Chappy toy that she smuggled into the clinic, and her desk that was full of paperwork and other business related items. Seeing all of them sitting out actually puzzled him.

"I thought that your brother was coming in the morning to get you. Don't we need to pack all your other junk up too?"

A sudden jab in his side caught him off-guard, knocking the air from him.

"Those won't take more than a few minutes to pack up," Rukia explained as she walked past him and sat on her bed, grinning as Ichigo caught his breath. "Besides, my brother's sending a few movers to collect my desk, since Byakuya was kind enough to have it delivered here when I first came."

"So, I guess this means you're really going, huh?" Ichigo voiced aloud, almost subconsciously.

Rukia paused and looked down. "Yeah, I guess I am. Byakuya's coming in person and my fiancé's will be there too."

The air in the room became still and for a moment, both of them were silent. He snuck a quick glance and saw that Rukia had her head downcast, staring at the floor.

He hadn't realized it until now, but this might be his last chance to tell Rukia what had really happened during the accident. That thought terrified him as much as it did encourage him. Even if this was fate giving him the chance to finally get this weight off his chest, all he wanted to do was keep silent.

After all, it wasn't fair to Rukia. The thought of her blissful expression when she had told him about her fiancé tormented him. If only _he _could have been the one to make her smile like that.

"Would you like to meet him?" the raven haired woman abruptly asked, making Ichigo's head snap in her direction. "My fiancé, I mean. Would you like to meet him?"

For a brief moment, Ichigo's eyes widened. Rukia was now looking up at him with a hopeful look in her eyes, eagerly awaiting his answer.

A million thoughts ran through Ichigo's mind, most of them painful. An image of Rukia walking out to meet some snobby businessman played in his head, ending with her embracing and kissing him. All the while, all he could do was stand and watch as this man took her from him forever. Forcing the hateful thought away, he clenched his fists and turned away from her.

"I can't. I…have an interview tomorrow morning."

All of the light drained from Rukia's eyes and she slowly let her gaze fall to the floor. It was a bald faced lie and they both knew it. A melancholy smile overtook her lips as she replied, "I guess, there's no helping it then."

"Yeah, I gotta get up early and all that. I should…probably be getting to bed. 'Night."

Ichigo slowly and painfully began moving toward her door. Just before he got to it, Rukia called out to him.

"So, I take it our engagement's cancelled?"

Mid-step, the orange haired man whirled around to see Rukia standing only a few feet from him, a joyous smirk on her face. Her words continually rang over and over in his mind. Absorbing her smug appearance, he took a small step back toward her.

Ichigo pointed at her and said, "O-Our engagement?! Does that mean the fiancé you've been talking about was actually—?" He froze and then everything clicked. "Are you telling me you remember _everything_?!"

Still smirking like she'd won a prize, Rukia nodded, "Yeah. I remember the crash, you coming to my rescue, and of course, your proposal."

"For how long?!" he practically shouted.

"Three months."

Ichigo's jaw dropped and he stared at her in disbelief. "You mean to tell me you remembered everything right from the start?!"

All at once, Rukia's smug appearance fell and she became serious. "Actually, when I first woke up, I really couldn't remember anything that happened. For me, that felt like the first time I'd met you." She folded her arms and glared at him. "It was only _after_ you left that I remembered what happened."

Although his temper was fuming, the orange haired man couldn't stop himself from asking, "And how did that happen?"

"Dr. Ishida came in just after you left. He asked me where my _fiancé _was off to in such a hurry," she replied, giving him a suggestive look. "My brother nearly had security tackle you, but I convinced him to let you off easy. You really ought to thank me for that."

Ichigo opened his mouth to speak but quickly shut it. He had almost forgotten that he'd told that to Ryuken to get himself into Rukia's room. But this meant that the entire time that she had been staying with the Kurosaki's, she actually knew all about his cherished secret!

"So you're saying that you knew about our…_engagement_, this entire time." He watched as Rukia nodded. He took a cleansing breath, only for him to shout, "And you never thought to say anything about it so me?!"

Violet eyes narrowed and stared in deep amber. "I could ask the same thing," she said in a low voice, "Why didn't you mention our engagement to me this entire time? Why didn't you tell me what really happened? You even went so far as to try and cover it up at times!"

Ichigo cringed as he remembered their argument in the car earlier, particularly when he slipped about the bunny swerving.

"That…That was—".

"Why didn't you just tell me what happened, Ichigo?" Rukia asked, her features softening. "Were you ashamed by it or—?"

"No!" he furiously replied, "I'll never be ashamed of what happened! It was the most amazing thing that's ever happened in my life!"

Despite the fact that he was shocked that he'd actually managed to tell her that, he didn't back down from his words. His burning amber eyes stared deep into her shimmering violets as they stood in silence. Very slowly, Rukia's lips turned up into a warm smile and she closed the gap between them in a swift movement.

"I'm glad to hear that," she said quickly.

Pushing herself up onto her toes, she reached up and grabbed onto his face, pulling him down and smashing her lips against his. Ichigo's eyes widened for a moment before he eased into her and kissed back, leaning forward and wrapping his arms around her.

Regretfully pulling back, both of them taking a deep breath. Her hands rested on his chest while his draped over her shoulders. For a time, they just kept gazing into each other's eyes, almost as if they expected this to be a dream.

Then, Rukia smiled up at him, chuckled and said, "I suppose that makes it official. That wasn't as hard as I thought it would be."

Ichigo raised an eyebrow, "Wait, have you been planning this?"

The raven haired woman gave a playful shrug and grinned, "I've been toying with the idea. I had to do something since you seemed too scared to actually make a move on me. Hell, Karin had to practically do it for you!"

Completely disengaging from her, the orange haired man scowled and retorted, "Hey! I wasn't scared, all right! I was just waiting for the right time! And I'm still confused over here!" He threw up his arms in dismay. "So you don't have another fiancé? That was all just an act?"

"It wasn't an act. Everything I said was true," Rukia replied, giving him an incredulous look. "You just didn't know exactly who I was talking about. Honestly, I expected you to figure it out after I told you about calling him every night."

Now it was all coming together. Ichigo almost always got a call from her each night to either thank him for helping that day or asking for a final favor of the night. And then, he suddenly remembered all the wonderful things she said about her fiancé at dinner, particularly about how much she trusted and cared about him. Heat rushed to his head and he knew his face was burning because Rukia smirked at him.

"I still don't see why you didn't tell me that you remembered what happened sooner," he protested, trying to change the subject. He watched her sigh and take a seat on her bed.

"I had actually planned to the day I came here. I was actually pretty excited to talk to you again, and find out more about what happened at the accident," she paused and sighed again, "But then I started to think, 'Why didn't he bring it up in the first place?' and 'Why did he suddenly leave instead of telling me the truth?'. So I began to think that, maybe you didn't want to remember what happened."

Glancing up at him, she continued, "And by the time I got here, I'd completely lost my nerve to tell you. I thought I'd be able to bring it up later, but before I knew it, three months had passed and I was ready to be discharged."

She lowered her head and averted her gaze. It was then that she felt something plop down the bed next to her and she turned to see Ichigo glaring straight ahead.

"It was pretty much the same for me. I wanted to say something but I figured, it would freak you out," his head turned and their eyes met, "And then, whenever I tried bringing it up, you seemed to avoid it. So, after a while, I figured it might be better just to keep it all to myself. And then, maybe, we could just start over and get to know each other as two people instead of having this proposal hanging over you."

A light chuckle escaped Rukia and she patted him on the shoulder before saying, "It's funny. I didn't want to mention the accident because I didn't want you to feel like you _had_ to go through with the proposal. And as I got to know you, I became thankful that _you_ were the one who saved me that day."

"I guess we both kinda screw up, didn't we?" Ichigo chided, give her a melancholy smile. "So, what now?"

"What do you mean?" she said with a quizzical look.

"I mean, where do we go from here? Or did you already forget that you're being discharged in the morning? We won't exactly be together every day anymore, or have you forgotten?" he answered, already frustrated.

To his surprise, Rukia stood up and calmly went to her desk. Opening the top drawer, she reached in and pulled out a piece of paper with writing on it. A smile cracked on her lips as she looked over the document carefully, picking up a nearby pen.

Marching back to him, she held the paper out to him and replied, "Did you really think I wouldn't have this covered?"

* * *

"I disapprove," a harsh voice resounded through the morning air, the early sunlight peaking through the drapes.

Byakuya Kuchiki sat across from his sister and the orange haired punk, glaring at the document that was presented to him. Rukia was slightly unnerved by her brother's attitude but kept a cool appearance, not showing any weakness. Ichigo, on the other hand, had an almost smug look to him as he scowled at the intimidating man.

Isshin was out on a call and the twins had already departed for school. It was only the three of them, sitting at the Kurosaki Family's table.

"Brother, I know this may not be what you wanted, but it works out best for everyone," Rukia insisted, pointing at the document. "I'm still not completely recovered. I can't even start my car without getting a few chills. I need someone to drive me to and from work until I'm able to get over my condition."

Byakuya narrowed his eyes and countered, "I fully understand the reasons for wanting to hire a chauffeur. In fact, I had planned on supplying one for you this very day. There is no need for this boy to be given such a task."

"This _boy_ has been taking care of your sister for the past three months," Ichigo interjected, furrowing his brows, "And I would be honored to continue to keep helping her for as long as she needs me."

"She does _not_ need you. Not after today. I have already selected a suitable replacement," the business suited man retorted, sliding the paper back at them.

However, before it reached halfway across the table, Rukia slapped her hand on it and pushed it back toward her brother. Byakuya was almost shocked when she did so, meeting her cold and harsh gaze.

"Brother, it took me months to feel comfortable driving in a car with Ichigo. And if he's replaced now, I will have to take even more time to become comfortable with a new driver." She took a confident breath and continued, "I won't go through the fear of having my life in a stranger's hands again. That's why I want Ichigo to continue to be my personal aid."

Rukia didn't lose heart as her brother's cold glare intensified, his eyes narrowing dangerously. Her violet eyes shone brightly, not giving into the ruthless gaze that was trying to force her hand. Unfortunately for Byakuya, he realized how dedicated she was to this idea and more to the point, he agreed with her needing to be taken care of by someone she trusted.

However, as his gaze slowly left hers and drifted back to the already signed document, the suited man couldn't help but focus on a single clause near the bottom.

"If this boy was to merely be your driver, it might have been acceptable," Byakuya pointed at the clause and turned it around for her to re-read. "But I need you to explain to me why he must live with you in your apartment."

At this, Rukia was tempted to smile but she kept it hidden. "My legs still aren't that strong, Brother. If I fell or had another incident, it would be more beneficial to have my personal aid close by, in case of emergencies."

A light scoff escaped Byakuya as he replied, "If that is all, I can have the finest personal aid come to live with you. Preferably female—".

"It's more than just being an aid, you know," Ichigo interrupted, surprising both of the Kuchiki's. "I've gotten to know Rukia pretty well over the last few months. And if she says she's more comfortable with me being her driver and personal aid, then I more than agree to help her out. Besides—", he pointed to the signatures at the bottom of the document. "—it's already been settled. I'll be the one taking care of her, at least until she fully recovers."

Byakuya gave him a bitter and icy glare, as if trying to will him out of existence. However, the orange haired man met that gaze head on, not even flinching as the suited man narrowed his eyes. In that moment, as much as he hated to admit it, Byakuya was just a tiny bit impressed with the orange haired punk.

"Brother," the suited man hear his sister call to him, making his gaze shift back to her. "This was my decision and I'll take responsibility for it. I assure you of that."

The Kuchiki Head heard her words and slowly closed his eyes, considering this dilemma. Ichigo and Rukia snuck a glance at each other, sharing a brief smile before turning back to face the suited man's decision. Opening his eyes slowly, Byakuya stood from his seat and said, "If this is your decision, Rukia, then I have no right to interfere."

Relief washed over the two of them but the suited man quickly continued, "But know that I will be making personal visits whenever possible. And if I believe that this boy isn't fulfilling his duties to you, then I will have him replaced on the spot. Do I make myself clear?

"Perfectly, brother."

At that time, she smiled up at her brother as a wordless thank you. Byakuya didn't seem to acknowledge her at first but just before he turned to excuse himself, he nodded to her. Giving a final, accusatory glare to Ichigo, the suited man shifted his feet and calmly saw himself down the hall and out the door.

As the echo of the door closing reached them, Ichigo and Rukia simultaneously relaxed and let out the air they'd been holding.

"I almost can't believe we pulled it off," Rukia said glancing to the orange haired man. "I'm glad we didn't mention our relationship to him just yet. I don't know how he would react if he found out we were engaged."

"We can always send him an invite to our wedding without telling him. And if he doesn't RSVP, I can live with that," he said with a wink.

Rukia gave a light chuckle before she lifted herself out of her chair and began heading toward her room. Ichigo chuckled and rose from his seat, following after her.

When he finally caught up with her, she was already placing the last of her belongings in a large box. Just before she leaned down to try and pick it up, Ichigo's hands gripped the sides and lifted it for her.

"Don't wear yourself out too soon. Remember, you're still not fully healed yet," the orange haired man chided as he placed the box on his shoulder, "Not to mention, we're gonna be spending all day packing up my stuff too."

"Can't wait…" she muttered, already a bit out of breath. "Just don't expect me to sit around and wait for you get all the clothes folded."

"That's why it'll be your job," he quickly remarked, leaning down and giving her light peck on the lips. Ichigo turned to take her last box out to her car but just before he reached the door, Rukia's voice called out to him.

"Ichigo…I want to thank you."

The orange haired man stopped and turned back to see a vibrant smile on her face. He didn't have to ask what she meant. All of her feelings were perfectly clear to him and for the first time in his life, he knew exactly what he wanted to do with himself. Returning her smile, the orange haired man readjusted the box and headed for the door.

Just before he was out of earshot, he called back to her, "It's true what they say! Accidents happen for a reason!"

Rukia huffed in amusement before she ran out after him.

* * *

**The End**

**Hello again, my beautiful readers! Yes, yes, I know this is a week late but I've been a very busy worker! I've had to work for the last week straight without a day off and that kind threw my writing into the wood chipper, and it was hard to salvage. But now this story is finally complete! :D**

**I would have had it out sooner but this chapter gave me trouble. I wanted it to be perfect and I actually had a different draft of it that I wrote the other day. However, I re-read it and hated it so I scrapped the idea and really worked hard to bring a better and more IchiRuki ending for you all!**

**I will be working on more "Long Way Home" and "Chappy Rukia" soon! I finally feel that the writer's block has left me and now I plan to get more writing done in the future! **

**Leave a review to tell me how the story was or if you think I should have done something differently! Take care and keep on smiling my beautiful readers!**


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